Hackett will see what free-agent market bears
Pro Football Weekly
Jan. 11, 2008

There’s no denying the impact unrestricted free-agent WR D.J. Hackett provides, as evidenced by the fact that, despite missing 10 games this season with ankle injuries, he leads the team in 100-yard receiving games, including his stellar effort in the opening round of the playoffs (six catches for 101 yards and a 20-yard TD that gave Seattle the lead for good in its 35-14 victory over Washington). But even though Hackett has delivered far more often than not when he’s been on the field, frequently in clutch situations, team insiders tell us the Seahawks are expected to allow him to test the free-agent market and quite possibly run the risk of losing him to a team willing to guarantee him a substantial pay raise.

The problems Hackett has had staying healthy are one reason he isn’t a lock to be re-signed by Seattle. But a bigger reason is the team’s numbers game at wide receiver. While Hackett, Deion Branch, wily veteran Bobby Engram and steadily improving Nate Burleson have become increasingly well-known commodities, our sources tell us the team believes it actually has four other potential hidden gems at the WR position — in no particular order, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and practice-squad member Jordan Kent — who have hardly made a blip on the team’s radar screen.

That hardly means, though, that Hackett should be ruled out of the team’s future plans. The way we hear it, the team believes it wouldn’t necessarily have to pay an outrageous figure to keep Hackett, his increasing value on the free-agent market notwithstanding.